A word of thanks to USAK

**Nighthawk** · 26th February 08, 10:03 PM

In the Chama station, there are board walks. The water tower you're talking about could one of three. There is one at the top of Cumbres Pass, which has a restored conductors station. It could be the one at Osier, which is where you stop for lunch, or there is one at this huge curve in the tracks. When the train was first running, the crew made a game out of running from one side of the curve to the other, trying to beat the train and get back on. I remember my dad beating it more than once.

So- onto more neat stories. There is a caboos that was concerted from a box car. My dad helped to convert it, but never got to ride in it. 4 years ago, my brother and I saved up our money and chartered the caboose so that Dad could actually ride in it! We spent three days there camping, chasing the train and taking a ride. It was my sons first ride. You have actually inspired me a little. I am an amature photographer, so I'm going to post a link to my photo gallery in the pictures section. I have beautiful pictures of the train.

**Bugbear** · 26th February 08, 10:09 PM

I remember the curve and that story! I know I remember the lunch water tower, and that is the one I was thinking of... I think you should think about starting a thread and posting some pics of these things. OOOOU, do you have any pics from the train looking out on the aspens as they are turning gold? That's wild...

**Bugbear** · 26th February 08, 10:34 PM

Actually, Nighthawk, I feel like I have done my good deed for the day. It's touching that you felt inspired by me...

Now, I saw what you wrote in that thread on getting into a car while wearing a kilt...

I don't know anything about that.

**Nighthawk** · 27th February 08, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by Ted Crocker

Actually, Nighthawk, I feel like I have done my good deed for the day. It's touching that you felt inspired by me...

Now, I saw what you wrote in that thread on getting into a car while wearing a kilt...

I don't know anything about that.

I also have the finger smashing problem with my Amerikilt and Sport Kilt. The pleats are so shallow and light that it's almost like having nothing at all there.

**Bugbear** · 27th February 08, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

I also have the finger smashing problem with my Amerikilt and Sport Kilt. The pleats are so shallow and light that it's almost like having nothing at all there.

Well... I can see how that would be a big deal when getting in.

**Nighthawk** · 27th February 08, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Ted Crocker

Well... I can see how that would be a big deal when getting in.

Especially when there's a little bit of a breeze...

Now that's brisk, baby!!

**Bugbear** · 27th February 08, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

Especially when there's a little bit of a breeze...

Now that's brisk, baby!!

The breeze is as the breeze does.. I had to turn on a fan because it's a bit warm today, though. That and I've been out back digging a trench. I got to rest a spell because I just can't think of anything stupid enough to say...

**Bugbear** · 27th February 08, 04:40 PM

Hey, Nighthawk, I don't know if you ever saw this, so I'm plopping it down here... Laying an egg so to speak, just to get it off my hands. Ahhhhhhh!
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Nighthawk, in another thread you asked me about micro farming, so if you find your way here, this is a description... kind of...

The term "micro farm" is probably a touchy feelly term, but it refers to using a residential sized property to set up a very small farm. Zoning codes and so on usually put boundaries on what you can do with the space you have. As far as growing vegetables, out here it's a 365 vegetable and fruit growing year if you stick to the right plants for the right seasons. I can grow many more vegetables and fruits than I need. I live alone, so I don't know how well a family micro farm does.

Out here, I don't grow my own meat; I'm just not up for that. I could probably support a rabbit farm for... Well you know. The same goes for chickens and birds and so on.. I know I've joked about the chickens, but I just don't want to have to deal with that. The codes have changed in this area, so chickens and livestock aren't something I could have anyway. I do hear the roosters down the way where there are still farms...

I do have a setup to store rainwater. It isn't much storage capacity, so it doesn't help a lot. If I invested in more storage containers, it would probably become helpful though. I mostly use it for my bonsai when they need flushing out and so on. For the desert crops that I am switching to, I have a passive watering trench grid, and there's a bit of clay in the soil. I count that as storing water in the ground and in the cacti. Grey water is perfect for this kind of system. Luckily, I have a bit of experience with plumbing and can work with all that stuff. (I'm not a plumber..., just worked with it all my life.)

Another part of micro farming is finding native or naturalized plants for crops. I started studying desert plants and crops when I moved out here to the outskirts of the city eight or so years ago. I already had a foundation in desert plants just from growing up in the desert Southwest, but I wanted to find some of the forgotten stuff. Also, I experimented with applying some new horticultural tricks like hydro culture and so on to desert plants. I learned what I learned, but it's my own personal information.

Another thing, your life becomes about making compost on a micro farm; you live and breath the making of compost; it becomes a spiritual thing. It's a little bit like your lifestyle starts to be centered around what can go in the compost which is a whole lot more than standard composting information would lead you to believe. I also have a worm farm back there.

I looked into solar electric power, Nighthawk, but that is big budget stuff, so I am on the electrical grid. I am also on the water and natural gas grid. You don't have to completely withdraw from the world to be a hermit, and not many people could make it that way anyway.

** I should add that this was a personal experiment and I do not have a degree in agroculture or any related field. I do keep records on what I have done, but these are for my own personal use. It isn't much more than regular gardening, and I do not mean to say that any of this was done as a formal scientific experiment. Every thing I know on this subject was learned through personal research and experience, and (NOT) in a university or higher education setting.
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BTW, I looked at USAK's kilt hose, and they did have charcole colored hose at the twenty dollar level... That's probably what I will get along with the Gray Granite semi trad.

**Nighthawk** · 27th February 08, 06:17 PM

I don't have time to read that right now- I will later- but I wanted to drop a note here that my USAK came today. It's BEAUTFUL!! I was a little surprised that there were no basting stitches, though... Not that I'm complaining! I hate removing the things!

So again- Thanks Rocky!!

(I have karate class in 13 minutes, Ted, so I'll talk to you later this evening.)